Simon Field: A little reserved on the initial aromatic attack; swirling of the glass opens it up quickly; there is soot, plum, soft spice, and even a hint of the garrigue. The spirit is quite strident at the moment, the palate therefore a touch foursquare, almost “cardboardy.” But one man’s cardboard is another’s walnut, as it were, and it would be churlish not to discern a nutty complexity beyond the cornucopia of fruit. | 89

Andrew Jefford: Deep black-red, though relatively unsaturated for this stage in the wine’s evolution. Fresh, peppery, slightly green aromas; a touch raw, in truth. The palate is built along the same lines: peppery and deep, but a little raw and harsh, lacking the fruit unction you would hope for at this stage. | 83

Richard Mayson: Deep and dark in color; oddly angular on the nose, with the spirit still showing through, ripe blackcurrant fruit underlying; softer on the palate than it appears on the nose, firm, peppery tannins rising in the mouth and lingering on the finish, which tends to be rather on the lean side, especially in this context. Drink from 2025. | 86